Above The Noise | Should Sideshows Be Legal? @AboveTheNoise | Uploaded 5 years ago | Updated 14 minutes ago
What do you get when you mix car stunts, youth culture, and Oakland? Sideshows! Sideshows have become big in Oakland, where drivers will block major intersections to perform car stunts like donuts and figure eights, while large crowds gather to watch. But here's the catch-- they can be real dangerous and because of that they are totally illegal. And chances are in some way or another there's a clash between youth and car culture and cops near you too. In Oakland, they are creating a huge divide in the community, where many supporters say sideshows are part of Oakland culture and are calling for legal safe venues. While many opponents view sideshows as a dangerous public nuisance and are calling for harsher legal penalties. So students in the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs program at Oakland Military Institute in Oakland, California are asking: what should Oakland do about sideshows? And chances are there's a clash between youth, car culture and cops near you too.
TEACHERS: Get your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. http://bit.ly/StudentsDiscussSideshows
ABOVE THE NOISE is a show that cuts through the hype and investigates the debates behind controversial and trending topics in the news. Hosted by Myles Bess.
*NEW VIDEOS EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY*
SUBSCRIBE by clicking the RED BUTTON above.
Follow us on Instagram @kqedabovethenoise
** What are sideshows in Oakland?
In Oakland California sideshows are events where drivers perform car stunts like donuts and figure eights, as large crowds gather to watch. They often block major intersections, bridges or highways.
** Are Sideshows in Oakland dangerous?
Sideshows in Oakland can be dangerous. Sometimes drivers doing stunts can lose control of their cars and hit people in the crowds. Additionally, crowds can get rowdy and fights can break out, and guns get pulled. When police are called to the scene-- sometimes there can be car chases and there have been reports of tear gas.
** What are the arguments for legalizing sideshows and creating safe venues for car stunts?
Many people feel that sideshows are an important part of Oakland culture and should not be criminalized. If legal safe venues were created, then the number of dangerous illegal sideshows would decrease. It would also create a business opportunity for Oakland. Instead of spending money on policing these illegal events, the city could charge admission fees to legal safe venues which would generate income, and provide economic opportunity to the drivers.
Sources
ABC7: 3 Killed in Sideshow Crash in Oakland
abc7news.com/archive/7070018
SF Chronicle: Person Injured in Fall From Highway Ramp During Crokett Sideshow:
sfchronicle.com/crime/article/Person-injured-in-fall-from-highway-ramp-during-13437877.php
ABC30: Richmond Police Officer Hit By Car While Trying to Breakup Sideshow:
abc30.com/richmond-officer-trying-to-stop-sideshow-hit-by-car/3001412
KQED: Make Sideshows an Opportunity in Oakland, Not a Problem
kqed.org/arts/13824571/oakland-sideshows-legalize-macarthur
NY Times: The Idea of Decriminalizing Oakland 'Sideshows'
bayarea.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/the-idea-of-decriminalizing-oakland-sideshows
CNN: Six Figure Job: Stunt Drivers
money.cnn.com/2005/07/18/Autos/funonwheels/sixfigs_fourteen_prodriver/index.htm
FOR EDUCATORS
KQED Learn learn.kqed.org
KQED Teach teach.kqed.org
KQED Education ww2.kqed.org/education
facebook.com/KQEDEducation
twitter.com/KQEDedspace
instagram.com/kqededucation
About KQED
KQED, an NPR and PBS affiliate in San Francisco, CA, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, Radio, and web media. Funding for Above the Noise is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Silver Giving Foundation, Stuart Foundation, and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
#sideshows #swanginandbangin #oaklandsideshow
What do you get when you mix car stunts, youth culture, and Oakland? Sideshows! Sideshows have become big in Oakland, where drivers will block major intersections to perform car stunts like donuts and figure eights, while large crowds gather to watch. But here's the catch-- they can be real dangerous and because of that they are totally illegal. And chances are in some way or another there's a clash between youth and car culture and cops near you too. In Oakland, they are creating a huge divide in the community, where many supporters say sideshows are part of Oakland culture and are calling for legal safe venues. While many opponents view sideshows as a dangerous public nuisance and are calling for harsher legal penalties. So students in the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs program at Oakland Military Institute in Oakland, California are asking: what should Oakland do about sideshows? And chances are there's a clash between youth, car culture and cops near you too.
TEACHERS: Get your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. http://bit.ly/StudentsDiscussSideshows
ABOVE THE NOISE is a show that cuts through the hype and investigates the debates behind controversial and trending topics in the news. Hosted by Myles Bess.
*NEW VIDEOS EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY*
SUBSCRIBE by clicking the RED BUTTON above.
Follow us on Instagram @kqedabovethenoise
** What are sideshows in Oakland?
In Oakland California sideshows are events where drivers perform car stunts like donuts and figure eights, as large crowds gather to watch. They often block major intersections, bridges or highways.
** Are Sideshows in Oakland dangerous?
Sideshows in Oakland can be dangerous. Sometimes drivers doing stunts can lose control of their cars and hit people in the crowds. Additionally, crowds can get rowdy and fights can break out, and guns get pulled. When police are called to the scene-- sometimes there can be car chases and there have been reports of tear gas.
** What are the arguments for legalizing sideshows and creating safe venues for car stunts?
Many people feel that sideshows are an important part of Oakland culture and should not be criminalized. If legal safe venues were created, then the number of dangerous illegal sideshows would decrease. It would also create a business opportunity for Oakland. Instead of spending money on policing these illegal events, the city could charge admission fees to legal safe venues which would generate income, and provide economic opportunity to the drivers.
Sources
ABC7: 3 Killed in Sideshow Crash in Oakland
abc7news.com/archive/7070018
SF Chronicle: Person Injured in Fall From Highway Ramp During Crokett Sideshow:
sfchronicle.com/crime/article/Person-injured-in-fall-from-highway-ramp-during-13437877.php
ABC30: Richmond Police Officer Hit By Car While Trying to Breakup Sideshow:
abc30.com/richmond-officer-trying-to-stop-sideshow-hit-by-car/3001412
KQED: Make Sideshows an Opportunity in Oakland, Not a Problem
kqed.org/arts/13824571/oakland-sideshows-legalize-macarthur
NY Times: The Idea of Decriminalizing Oakland 'Sideshows'
bayarea.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/the-idea-of-decriminalizing-oakland-sideshows
CNN: Six Figure Job: Stunt Drivers
money.cnn.com/2005/07/18/Autos/funonwheels/sixfigs_fourteen_prodriver/index.htm
FOR EDUCATORS
KQED Learn learn.kqed.org
KQED Teach teach.kqed.org
KQED Education ww2.kqed.org/education
facebook.com/KQEDEducation
twitter.com/KQEDedspace
instagram.com/kqededucation
About KQED
KQED, an NPR and PBS affiliate in San Francisco, CA, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, Radio, and web media. Funding for Above the Noise is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Silver Giving Foundation, Stuart Foundation, and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
#sideshows #swanginandbangin #oaklandsideshow
